The Eventide
by I.M.OSM
Summary: Renesmee is sent to the Shadowhunters for safekeeping.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The parties started at midnight, when the moon was swallowed by darkness.

Jewels glittered upon the throats of the ladies, while young couples with strands of coloured hair dnaced. They were all set in motion by the rolling beat of the music. Wine glasses filled with vibrant coloured liquid tinkled fragilely in sweaty hands. Light bounced off the glass walls and ricochet down marble hallways. Everywhere there were voices, some shrieking and wailing, some chattering away like a bird. There were all kinds of people. The vampires sipping away at a strange red liquid too thick to be wine; the fair folk with their outstretched wings; the werewolves dancing to the music while light glinted on their outstretched, claw-tipped fingers.

A group of this strange assortment of people seemed to be concentrated around one man. At first glance, he didn't seem out of the ordinary, just a regular human in party clothes. However, his glowing amber cat eyes betrayed him as a warlock. His shock of black hair was spiked up with glitter like a disco ball, and a dark circle of makeup surrounded his eyes. He was tall, and thin like a rail, his skin a light tone of gold.

"Magnus, maybe we should get out of here." A dark-haired boy with ice blue eyes had to raise his voice to be heard over the party. Dark, thickly-drawn tattoos swirled down the back of his hand, down his arm, and disappeared down his black T-shirt. He was slouched up to a pillar, looking slightly uncomfortable at the people milling around the crowded space.

Magnus smiled. "Chillax, Alec." His said in a leisurely drawl, "you should enjoy the party."

Alec gritted his teeth impatiently. "Don't you remember, we have to get back to the Institute! The important visitor."

"We've got loads of time." A girl with the same ebony hair as Alec smiled winningly at him, "plus, I like large parties."

"Isabelle, you know I hate parties." Alec almost moaned.

Isabelle just smiled smugly back, knowing that she had won this particular argument.


	2. Chapter 2

At exactly the same moment that Alec agreed to stay at the party, far above their heads, an airplane zoomed across the midnight sky.

"I don't know why we have to do this." Renesmee grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"That is because", Jacob said with exaggerated patience, "Carlisle thinks that the Volturi will cause some trouble in the near future, they haven't forgotten that we almost came close to beating them two years ago. Carlisle is just sending us to someone he knows."

"Please put on your seatbelt, we are preparing to land." The overhead intercom buzzed to life.

Renesmee rolled her eyes again and completely ignored the seat belts.

The airplane ground forward to a stop. The engine turbines whirred to a stop.

Renesmee continued to grumble as she was ushered off the airplane by Jacob.

Just outside the airport gates, three sleek black limousines slid to a stop at the curb. Chauffeurs dressed all in black stepped out, and held the door open.

Multiple shoes hit the tarmac. Out stepped a strange assortment of people, all dressed in shiny black material. With them stood Alec and Isabelle, looking slightly uncomfortable. An older woman stood with them, her black hair pulled back into a neat knot at the back of her head. "Come on Isabelle. Alec, please stop moping around."

A boy about Alec's age tapped him on the shoulder. He had amber eyes like a cat, and golden hair. "Wonder why the Clave is making such a big fuss over just two people."

Alec shrugged, "Probably because we all want to see them."

"Why, I mean, they're just two down-worlders."

Isabelle sighed, "Jace, you should stop your prejudice against down-worlders. Plus, mum said they are important and special."

The plastic smell of the airport greeted them as they stepped into the small, cramped elevator. It rose upwards at an unsteady gate, as if it was drunk. As the elevator doors made a pleasant dinging noise, Alec gaped at the crowd of people milling around. Most of them seemed to be greeting the new arrivals.

"Come on." The older woman pushed them through the throngs of people, "They're already here."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

'Where the hell are they?" Jacob huffed, weighed down by two large duffle bags and a lumpy red backpack.

"I do think that that is them." Renesmee put on her most winning smile, "I wonder who we are staying with?"

The oncoming crowd of shadow hunters enveloped them, and immediately, Renesmee found herself staring into the icy blue gaze of a boy around the same age as she was.

"Um, hi, I'm Renesmee." She smiled awkwardly.

"I'm Alec, mum made me in charge of taking you to where your staying."

"Where exactly is that?"

"Magnus's" He turned around without waiting for them to follow. "Come on."

Magnus seemed to live in the warehouse district of Manhattan.

Alec knocked on an old brass door knocker, hanging crookedly on the middle of a door painted bright red. The door was flung open by a man no older than 20. He had black hair spiked up and glittered, and strange multicolored pants reaching down to his feet, which were bare. The most startling feature about him was his eyes. One of them was amber, while the second was a vivid green color, and both were slitted, like a cat's.

Immediately, Jacob took a step back. "What the hell is wrong with you, man?"

Magnus eyed Jacob contemplatively, then seemed loose interest. "The correct term is warlock. Now, if you two are done staring, you can come in and sit down."

Alec cleared his throat to get Magnus's attention. "Maryse sent them to stay with you."

Magnus clapped his hands together. "Great! I wonder what's playing on television."

Magnus's apartment was large and looked largely abandoned, except for a Renaissance looking living room complete with a fireplace. "You dear, go down the corridor to your right." Magnus gestured at Renesmee, "And you, go to the left."

The room Magnus provided was large and comfortable, with strange bars on the window, which was painted over with a dull green paint. A bed was set at the far side of the room, with a small table complete with a vase of wild flowers beside it.

Alec slouched in awkwardly behind Renesmee and slammed the door behind him. He perched at the end on the bed and regarded Renesmee warily. "So, how's it goin'?"

Renesmee smiled shyly at Alec. "Um, thanks for everything."

"No prob."

Renesmee unlocked the latch of the expensive looking suitcase. A jumble of clothes sprang out. She quickly stuffed them back in and shut the case.

After managing to sort her belongings into manageable piles, Renesmee stuffed them into the large wardrobe in the corner.

Alec stood up. "Now let's go out for a tour, and tell your werewolf friend to come too."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Magnus met Alec, Renesmee and Jacob in the corridor. A wide smile was plastered across his face. "My favorite singer just won the talent show." Behind him, the sound of a TV came from the living room.

"We're going out." Alec informed Magnus.

Magnus frowned. "Don't be out too late, kiddo."

They were met with a blast of cold air as Magnus's door slammed shut behind them. Jacob, wholly unaffected by the cold, stared strangely at Alec as the latter shivered and pulled his jacket tighter around him. "Where are we headed?"

"To the Institute." Alec stared Renesmee and Jacob's confused faces incredulously. "You don't know what the Institute is! It's a home/research facility for shadow-hunters." He saw Renesmee's confusion and sighed dramatically. "What do they teach down-worlders these days. A shadow-hunter is someone who kills demons, someone like me."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Fine. Lead on, Mr. Shadow-hunter. This is so like the time when me, Collin, Seth and Paul were playing Dungeons and Dragons…" He launched into a story so rich in detail and with so many unknown names that Alec didn't even bother to try to understand.

They boarded the L-train. It was almost dawn, there was no-one on the train with them.

As they stepped of the platform, Renesmee noticed the large medieval looking church on the corner. Strangely, no-one else seemed to. The other human pedestrians seemed to just miss the church, their eyes just slid over its structure without registering. Alec pushed on the iron gate and surprisingly, it opened. Inside, the temperature was warm. A blue persian cat lounged on the doormat, giving a contented meow when Alec rubbed his stomach. The hallway was decorated with Renaissance paintings depicting angels and dark shapes full of malice.

"Are those demons?" Jacob studied the paintings with interest.

Alec swaggered up to a closed door at the end of the long hallway and opened it without knocking. "Jace, it's me."

A voice from inside the room shouted back "Don't you ever knock!"

Renesmee and Jacob looked at each other in confusion. Jacob seemed to be telling Renesmee something that she couldn't identify, so she just shrugged and stepped inside.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The room beyond was a startling contrast to the deeply colored hallway, with stark white walls and a wide bed. Sitting on the bed was a boy no older than Alec, with fair hair and a predatory gaze. He was staring at Renesmee with a look of undisguised disgust, his light brown brows drew up in a frown.

Unsure of how to respond to such open hostility, Renesmee gulped and raised her hand in an half-hearted wave. "Um, hi. I'm Renesmee." The boy continued to stare at Renesmee, making her feel like a specimen on display.

Finally turning away from Renesmee, 'Jace' stared at Alec who was standing awkwardly in the background. "Why did you bring the vampire into the Institute…"

Jacob came strolling the door. "…and a werewolf."

Alec cleared his throat and shrugged.

Jace shook his head in exasperation, "I'm soooooo going to tell Izzy, then your in for it!"

Alec shrugged again,"So, how's Clary?"

It was Jace's turn to look embarrassed. "Fine!"

Alec seemed to lose interest, "Whatever, I'm going back to Magnus's." He turned around and strode briskly out the door, as if to avoid 'Izzy'. "Bye."

Renesmee and Jacob hurried out the door. When they were out of Jace's earshot, Jacob snorted and asked "What's up with him."

Alec sighed and skimmed his hand along the mahogany walls, "He's been on a non-downworlder regime since a vampire stole his girlfriend."

"Oh."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Back at the spray-painted red door of Magnus's apartment, Alec turned around and gave both of them a hostile stare. "How long are you going to be staying here?"

Jacob, disliking Alec's tone, growled "As long as we have to."

Alec dismissed Jacob with a dainty wave of his hand. He knocked on the door, all the while smirking as if there was a secret he hadn't shared with us. "Oh, I'm sure you won't be staying for long."

Jacob pushed past him into the living room, all the while fuming and muttering. "Won't be staying for long! Hmph! The nerve of that little slime-ball."

Magnus's pale and worried face loomed out of the darkness, looking strangely elongated in the dimly lit hallway. "Um, we might have a problem here. One of your friends called, the one with the pretty ochre eyes."

"You mean Carlisle." Renesmee would have laughed if his face wasn't so grim, no-one had ever called Carlisle pretty! "What's wrong?"

"Seems like the Volturi finally found out were you are and are sending Demetri, Felix, Alec and Jane over to see what's going on."

Jacob swore, "Damn Demetri and his tracking skills! Now what we meant to do?"

"Nothing. We wait. The Clave are going to negotiate with them. Don't worry, you're going to be fine." Magnus smiled reassuringly, but his pale face showed his worry.

"When are they coming?" Renesmee was suddenly paying attention, she could feel a cold trickle down her spine.

"Tomorrow."

"What are we going to do?" Jacob asked, with a tinge of worry in his voice.

"The Clave are going to negotiate with them," Magnus repeated, "You don't even have to see them."

"OK!"

That night, Renesmee couldn't sleep. Fear of the Volturi, of Alec and his sleep mist, of Jane and her silent torturous power, and of Felix and Demetri's raw muscle.

She kept on thinking up scenarios in her head: Jane staring at hr hard while she screamed and screamed in agony. Then, it was Jacob there on the floor writhing. Then Alec, then Magnus, then Jace… All these people who had been so kind to her (except Jace, who was less than kind) were now in danger, because of her!

At last, she fell into a fitful dose, but even then she couldn't escape those thoughts. It was Alec now, that was standing in front of her, a black mist pored out of his hands, surrounding her, and darkness so completely black that she was instantly petrified. She tried to move, but strangely her hands and feet were glued to the floor and would not answer her command.

Renesmee woke up gasping and drenched in sweat. Morning light filtered through the cracks in the curtains. Jacob was standing at the foot of her bed, looking at her worriedly.

"They're here."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 As usual, the living room was warm and cozy, and the fire was once again lit. Magnus was seated on the large cushion directly opposite the fire. His face was grim, and for once he had no make-up on. "Where are they?" Jacob seemed surprised to see Magnus alone. Magnus snapped his head back quickly to look at him, "They are at the Institute. We are going there immediately." But I thought we were going to stay here." Renesmee protested, "You said you would keep us safe." Magnus just shook his head sadly. "The Volturi have threatened mass destruction on the Clave and the whole of down-world, both races would be demolished off the face of the Earth. The Volturi would never back down until the whole of the Clave is destroyed or we gave you to them. We cannot risk our people like this." Jacob snarled in fury but Renesmee was already lost in a haze of terror. Going back to the Volturi would mean the death of Jacob and the immediate incarceration of her family. She couldn't let that happen! But how could she damn these innocent people to a bloody and horrible death, these people who had been so helpful and had offered her and Jacob asylum? Through her shock and terror, she heard Jacob yell "There must be something you can do." Magnus just shook his head sadly. "There is nothing you can do. The Clave will demand your capture and give you away to the Volturi. You can fight and be put to a slow and painful death, both of you," This shut Jacob up, "or you can come quietly, as they say." Jacob seemed like he was about to explode, but then all the anger drained out of him, "Fine."He hung his head in defeat, "We won't risk your lives, it won't be right. We'll come with you." Magnus nodded his head solemnly and brought his leather coat down from a peg. "Me, Alec and Jace will be with you the whole time. We won't let anything happen to you, I promise." ~*~ This was the second time that Renesmee had seen the Institute, but she still held her breath as the austere looking building loomed up above them, its many windows glinting in the pre-dawn light. When Alec had showed them around only yesterday, Renesmee thought the Institute was beautiful in a grim way, however now it was just grim. The entrance hall had been lit with many torches the last time they had been here, but now the torches were guttering out all along the corridor, as if it knew the occupants of the Institute were under danger. The furnished library was lit only by a handful of torches and lamps, which only illuminated part of the wide expanse. Seated around the vast table in the center of the room were about half a dozen people, only several of whom she recognized. There was Jace, cleaning his fingernails with a tip of a cruelly sharp knife; Alec,with his collar flipped up and looking uncomfortable; the stiff looking woman that had arranged the trip with Carlisle. At the end of the large table, stood Jane, Alec, Demetri and Felix. Jane stood at the corner, arching one of her eyebrows, and looking supremely bored. Renesmee shuddered when she remembered the agony of Jane's torturous gift. Alec looking strangely out of place in an aviator's jacket. Renesmee had never seen him out of the customary blood colored robes of the Volturi. Darkness seemed to ooze out of him, pouring out like a dark wave. Felix and Demetri stood side-by-side, great hulking figures looming in the background. The Clave had obviously just been waiting for them to arrive, because as soon as Magnus ushered Renesmee and Jacob to the vacant seats next to Jace, the importantly dressed man cleared his throat, "Renesmee Cullen and Jacob Black, the topic of this meeting is to negotiate your peaceful departure with these four vampires." 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 The meetings went on for some time. At first, Renesmee was attentive and listened to everything the shadowhunters ahd to say. They were discussing her fate, after all! However after a while, the endless debate and arguements were wearing on her. The importantly dressed shadowhunters seemed to be boring her to death. She was not the only one. Jane studied her fingernails while Alec paced in impatient circles around the table. Felix and Demetri were talking in low voices and occasionally glancing at her and Jacob. Jace was humming tunelessly and Alec looked ready to drop. There were circles around his eyes, he looked like he hadn't slept the whole night. "And so we conclude not to give these two downworlders to the Volturi!" The man at the head of the table announced loudly. He was a portly man with a rather rotund belly and a wispy beard. Immediately, Alec and Jane stood up, bearing their teeth, "You promised us you would hand them over. Aro demands taht you do." Magnus and Jace smiled cruelly at them, "Too bad, suckers. The pun was not intended." Jane glared daggers at Jace, and immediately, Jace stopped, his face contorted in pain. He fell to the floor gasping and twitching. A girl about Renesmee's age with beautiful dark hair like Alec's reaching down her back stood up from her seat. Renesmee had never noticed her before, but now she saw the family resemblance to Alec. "Stop hurting him!" Jane shrugged, and Jace stopped twitching and lay on the floor, panting. Renesmee had personal experience of Jane's gift and shuddered at the memory of the pain. At this point, all the shadowhunters had stood up from the table, staring with disbelief at Jane. "How dare you hurt one of us," the man at the head of the table spoke in a strangled whisper, "You dishonour us, the Clave will not take this lightly." Jane just sat there and fixed the man with an insolent stare. Alec smirked and Demetri and Felix sniggered. The man stood up to his full height, an impressive 6'5. His voice was a deep bass rumble, "You will not get away with this." Alec's smirk grew wider and the man straightened and his stare became blank. Dark mist seemed to be floeing out of alec's palms, encircling the man and choking him. Everyone stood still in absolute horror. Then, as if they had choreographed it, everyone leapt at Jane and Alec. 


End file.
